Medical waste, by-products, and implements can be harmful to people and the environment, so they require more careful disposal than typical garbage. Common examples of medical waste include needles and syringes, used bandages and gloves, human or animal tissue, blood, feces, and medications. As a pet owner, it is important that you know how to properly dispose of these items.
Sharps Disposal
In a hospital setting, “sharps” include things such as needles, lancets, and scalpels that are contaminated with human or animal blood or tissue. In a home setting, sharps are usually needles and syringes used for injecting medication.
Pet owners with diabetic cats or dogs give daily injections, and the needles and syringes used for these injections accumulate quickly. If these sharps are simply tossed in the trash, they can put other people at risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 600,000 people are injured annually by improperly discarded needles. Used needles may also be misused by people with chemical dependencies. Further, needles and syringes degrade slowly, so then they are thrown in the trash and buried in landfills, they negatively impact the environment.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends using one of the many medical waste companies that cater to pet owners to dispose of sharps. Many of these companies make disposal easy by sending impenetrable containers directly to the home. Once you have filled a box, you place it in a postage-paid package for return to the disposal agency. The containers prevent injury and contamination and are labeled appropriately for transport via approved channels. For peace of mind, many companies provide clients with documentation of safe destruction or disposal. Medical waste disposal companies can be found online, or you can ask your veterinarian for a reference. Some veterinary hospitals and pharmacies also handle medical waste disposal for a modest fee.
Medication Disposal
Expired or unused medications should be disposed of safely. While these medicines may not be as harmful to the environment as other medical wastes, they can still be harmful to humans or pets.
There are several drug take-back programs in communities across the U.S. Some pharmacies and veterinary clinics will also take unused medication and dispose of it properly. If such programs are not available, there are two ways to dispose of medication, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Some (not all) medications can be flushed down the toilet or sink. The FDA has a list of medicines that can be flushed when they cannot be returned. If the medication is a pill or capsule, place it in a zip-lock bag and crush the pill or empty the capsule. Add water to dissolve it, then flush the liquid down the toilet or pour it down the sink, followed by thorough rinsing. Dispose of liquid medications the same way. Read the medication label to verify that it is safe for household plumbing and sewer systems.
Another way to dispose of solid medications is to crush them in a zip-lock bag, add an undesirable substance like coffee grounds or kitty litter, and place the mixture in the regular garbage. This method makes the medication less likely to be misused by drug seekers. Before throwing away prescription bottles, remove the labels and destroy all identifying information to protect your privacy. Remember that plastic medicine containers can be recycled.
Bodily Waste Disposal
Responsible pet owners must clean up after their dogs and cats, which means scooping poop. Besides being unsightly and smelly, animal feces can contaminate the environment and watershed with bacteria, viruses, and parasites. To protect people and other animals, feces must be disposed of properly.
The most common way to dispose of bodily waste is in a plastic bag. In the interest of recycling, many pet owners save plastic grocery bags to use when walking their dogs. After tying the bag, they throw it in the trash. Unfortunately, many plastic bags do not easily biodegrade. You can purchase biodegradable waste bags in convenient dispensers that can be attached to a leash.
You can also empty the bags into the toilet and flush the feces down the drain. There are even flushable doggy bags to eliminate that step. These bags break down in water but usually hold up well enough for you to transport the waste home. Flushing may not be advised if you have a private septic system, as opposed to public sewer hook-ups.
Some pet owners use pet septic systems to dispose of feces. Many of these systems do not function well, making them unsafe for the environment. Performance may be affected by temperature, water levels, and even the content of the food the dog consumes. If you choose to use a pet septic system, have the discharge evaluated by an environmental company to verify the product’s safety. Pet owners who have large yards often leave Mother Nature in charge of bodily waste disposal. Even in large areas, this may not be environmentally sound. Contamination of water sources is still possible.
Another way to deal with pet waste is to compost it. Some dog parks have compost bins for pet owner use, and home compost units are available. This method does not take much more effort than tossing a bag in the trash, but the composting system must function correctly to be environmentally sound. Some home compost units do not reach temperatures high enough to kill contaminating bacteria. To destroy E. coli and Salmonella, temperatures need to reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Since pet waste can contain bacteria and parasites harmful to humans, composted pet waste should never be used as fertilizer for food crops.
For cats, disposing of litter in the garbage can is the best option. Kitty litter is biodegradable but does not compost well and blocks up sewer systems. Disposal of medical waste is one of the many responsibilities of owning a pet. And it is worth the effort to keep people, pets, and their environment safe.
